Don't do everything for externa validation: Arjun Kapoor

Bollywood star Arjun Kapoor believes constantly seeking external validation through work rar than enjoying process of acting can force a person to take wrong decisions.

Though actor cares about results, he believes that alone should t be a deciding factor in one's choice of roles.

"If I do everything for external validation and proving myself, n I will make wrong decisions. In my career, I have realised that I can do anything if I have my conviction. We go wrong from time-to-time (and) that's human.

"But I have to be excited as a person to tell a story. I will be lying if I say I don't care about results, we all do and we all must as it is result-driven business but that can't be only deciding factor. I need to enjoy process as an actor," Arjun told PTI in an interview here.

actor, who most recently headlined Ashutosh Gowariker's "Panipat", says he if he was looking at proving himself, he would have stuck to action im that he established early in his career through films such as "Ishaqzaade", "Aurangzeb" and "Gunday".

Instead, he chose to experiment with his on-screen persona with films like "2 States", "Finding Fanny", "Ki & Ka" and "Mubarakan".

"It's a privilege to have right to choose. I could get typecast in early parts of my career just as an action hero but I wanted to do all kinds of film also because re was a greed to learn from different people.

'Panipat' came to me at a point where I wanted to do such a film because it's a genre that I always wanted to explore. Without caring about what people will say, I just jumped on to film."

Arjun's last two releases "Namaste England" and "India's Most Wanted" did t receive a warm welcome at ticket windows while "Panipat" is getting a mixed response.

"Success and failure are t defined by Friday alone that's a misconception. I am running my house I have x number of people working along with me, who are doing well because I am doing well. Because of me many houses, many kids (are) getting an education. To whatever degree, my life is a success because I have been able to positively affect near and dear ones around me in good way.

"If my success barometer is only my Friday n it will be a problem. Every time, I can't think I am unsuccessful and think negative. Box office barometer matters but that's part of life and t end-all of existence. re is more to life."

Growing up in a film family, actor, who is son of producer Boney Kapoor and nephew of Anil Kapoor, believes he is better prepared to deal with downside.

"I have grown up in this films industry so I have seen highs and lows through my parents, so maybe being a star kid is that y prepare for good and bad slightly fast. You get opportunities easily in beginning. Maybe, I would have asked my far to pick up phone and meet Aditya Chopra but I choose path which I felt was right, meeting casting directors and going for an audition.

"Aditya Chopra rejected me three to four times and I don't kw wher it had anything to do with my surname. When he saw my photos, he said, 'I can take you as a character actor'. n I auditioned again for 'Ishaqzaade' and I got film. I don't think my surname had anything to do when he was rejecting me eir."

But Arjun admits that industry kids have an edge over those who come from outside to make a mark in Bollywood.

"Industry kids, for better or worse, have certain inculcated education about how to go about things and that's benefit of experience that we get by living within. So that's advant. It saves your time and upsetting a few people. People who come from outside y really have it tough and I respect people like Ayushmann Khurrana and Vicky Kaushal for that matter.